Write a short note on describe different flake tool types with suitable diagrams.

Flake tools are a type of stone tool created by striking a core stone to produce sharp-edged flakes. These tools were crucial for early human societies, aiding in hunting, butchering, and various other tasks. Here are descriptions of some common flake tool types along with suitable diagrams:

1. Core Tool: Core tools are created by striking flakes from a stone core, leaving behind a core with a distinctive shape. These tools include handaxes, cleavers, and choppers. Handaxes, for example, have a bifacially worked cutting edge and a pointed tip, making them versatile for cutting and scraping tasks. Cleavers are characterized by a broad, flat cutting edge suitable for chopping and butchering, while choppers have a more rounded cutting edge for heavy-duty tasks like cutting wood.

1. Blade Tool: Blade tools are elongated flakes with parallel or slightly converging edges, often created from prepared cores. Blades were used for cutting, slicing, and scraping tasks. They are typically more standardized and specialized than core tools. Examples include backed blades, which have one edge with retouching or modification for better handling, and microliths, small blades often mounted in handles for use as composite tools or projectiles.

1. Scraper Tool: Scrapers are flakes with one or more modified edges used for scraping hides, processing plants, or shaping other materials. They come in various shapes and sizes, including side scrapers, end scrapers, and thumbnail scrapers. Side scrapers have a modified edge along one side of the flake, while end scrapers have a modified edge at one end, often used for tasks like scraping hides.

These flake tool types showcase the ingenuity and adaptability of early human toolmakers, providing insights into their technological capabilities and ways of life.